Unitized air treating unit

ABSTRACT

Two air moving devices are mounted one above the other on a frame platform integrated with an enthalpy wheel, interconnecting box-like duct structures, air filters, and a sprayed coil conditioning unit. The arrangement has two substantially independent straight line parallel and co-planar paths for the passage of air, one path for supply and the other for exhaust. In a modification the conditioning unit and high efficiency air filter are omitted.

United States Patent Heffron [54] UNITIZED AIR TREATING UNIT [72] Inventor: Donald B. Heifron, Townsend, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Aero-Flow Dynamics, Inc., The Wing Company Division, Linden, NJ.

[22] Filed: July 23,1970

[21] Appl. No.: 57,508

[52] US. Cl. ..55/222, 55/257, 55/269, 55/385, 55/473, 165/7, 248/21, 417/363 [51] Int. Cl ..B0ld 27/08 [58] Field of Search ..55/222, 267-269, 55/473, 29, 30, 32-34, 60, 62, 257, 385; 165/7, 8, 3, 86; 417/363; 248/346, 21

[56] References Cited.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,471,112 10/1923 Ellis ..55/222 2,264,221 1 H1941 Smith ..165/66 2,282,373 5/1942 Minkler et al. ..55/267 51 June 27, 1972 2,823,907 2/ 1958 Pennington ..261/92 3,012,762 12/1961 Norris 165/48 3,017, l 60 l/l962 Lee et a] .165/101 3,125,157 3/1964 Munters et a] ..165/7 3,251,402 5/1966 Giav 165/7 3,324,782 6/1967 Norris et a1. .....98/33 3,494,113 2/1970 Kinney ..55/481 Primary Examiner-Bemard Nozick Attorney-Brooks, l-laidt & Hafiner [5 7] ABSTRACT Two air moving devices are mounted one above the other on a frame platform integrated with an enthalpy wheel, interconnecting box-like duct structures, air filters, and a sprayed coil conditioning unit. The arrangement has two substantially independent straight line parallel and co-planar paths for the passage of air, one path for supply and the other for exhaust. in a modification the conditioning unit and high efficiency air filter are omitted,

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures UNITIZED AIR TREATING UNIT The present invention relates to an air treating unit and, more particularly, to a unitized module structure.

Unitized or single package units have long been used for conditioning air on a relatively small volume basis. Among such known units are room air conditioners (for cooling), room type space heaters, combination cooling and heating furnace installations for small homes, and the like. For large volume air handling as encountered in industrial installations and large building central systems, air treating components have been heretofore individually packaged foron-site interconnection. Some attempt has been made to integrate some of the structure; however, these attempts have been limited in scope. For example, rotary heat recovery units have been assembled in a single unit with blowers and filters. Single units have also been produced including sprayed coil cooling and eliminator assemblies with reheat coil sections and blowers. However, no attempt has been made heretofore to provide a unitized structure including in one package an air moving device, a rotary heat exchange device, a sprayed coil cooling unit, and filters.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a unitized air treating structure of the type last mentioned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a unitized structure as can be conveniently modified to adapt it to systems having separate air cooling and humidifying units.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a structure of the aforesaid type condensing in a minimum of physical space the requisite components for providing energy recovery from exhaust air, cooling, heating, temperature and humidity control, and air filtering of supply air.

I In accordance with the invention, there is provided an air treating unit having two substantially independent straight line parallel and co-planar paths for the passage of air therethrough, one of the paths being for supply air and the other being for exhaust air, the unit comprising a structural frame platform, first and second air moving devices mounted on the platform at one end in line with and confined to the supply air and exhaust air paths, respectively, a first air filter assembly mounted on the platform at the opposite end thereof in line with and confined to the supply air path, a conditioning unit mounted on the platform near the filter assembly in line with and confined to the supply air path, the conditioning unit including a sprayed coil cooling assembly in combination with an eliminator, duct means providing an enclosed air passage between the air outlet of the conditioning unit and the air inlet of the filter assembly, a rotary heat ex'change wheel mounted for rotation about an axis within an enclosure, a motor disposed within the enclosure operatively coupled in driving relation to the wheel, the enclosure being mounted on the platform between and spaced from the air moving devices and the conditioning unit, the wheel with the enclosure extending across both the supply air and exhaust air paths with one half of the wheel in each path, the enclosure being provided with openings on both sides of the wheel in line with each of the halves of the wheel to provide separate air paths through the wheel, ductwork mounted on the platform between the enclosure and the air moving devices separately enclosing the supply air and exhaust air paths, respectively, between the first and second air moving devices and the corresponding separate air paths through the wheel, a second filter assembly, and additional ductwork mounted on the platform between the enclosure and the conditioning unit, the second filter being joined to the additional ductwork in line with and confined to the exhaust air path, the additional ductwork separately enclosing the supply air and exhaust air paths between the cor responding separate air paths through the wheel and, respectively, the conditioning unit and second filter assembly.

The invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a unitized air treating unit constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structural frame platform on which are mounted the various components to provide the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the ductwork of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rotary heat exchange wheel and its enclosure as incorporated in the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another portion of the ductwork incorporated in the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the roughing filter employed in the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sprayed coil cooling section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the high efficiency air filter employed in the assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modification of the assembly of FIG. 1.

Throughout the several views of the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar parts.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated an air treating unit designated generally by the reference numeral 10 which is constructed in accordance with the invention. The unit 10 has two substantially independent straight line parallel and co-planar paths for the passage of air therethrough which paths are designated by the arrows 11 and 12, path 11 being for supply air and path 12 being for exhaust air. The unit 10 includes a structural frame platform 13 shown in detail in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the platform 13 consists of two parallel bottom rails 14 and 15 supporting in parallel spaced relationship the channel members 16, 17, 18 and 19, and stringer 20, the particular spacing of the members being chosen to accommodate the components in the assembly of FIG. 1 as will be better understood hereinafter. The members 16 to 20 are all located generally at one end of the platform while at the other end a bridge-like structure 21 is joined thereto with the vertical legs 22 and 23 resting on the rail 14 while the vertical legs 24 and 25 rest on stringers 26 and 27.

As seen in FIG. 1, a first suitable air moving device, e.g., a tubular centrifugal fan type blower 28, is mounted directly on the stringers 26 and 27 with spring shock mounts 280 located as shown. A second air moving device, e.g., the tubular centrifugal fan type blower 29, is mounted on the bridge-like structure 21 with appropriate shock mounts 29a, as shown. The two blowers 28 and 29 are located in line with and confined to the supply air and exhaust air paths 1 l and 12, respectively.

A high efiiciency air filter assembly, designated generally by the reference numeral 30 (shown in detail in FIG. 8), is mounted on the platform 13 at the opposite end from the end supporting the blowers, in line with and confined to the supply air path 11. It will be observed from FIG. I that the filter 30 rests on the channel members 16 and 17.

A conditioning unit 31 (shown in detail in FIG. 7) is mounted on the platform 13 near the filter assembly 30 in line with and confined to the supply air path 11. Channel 18 and stringer 20 support the conditioning unit 31. The unit 31 is of conventional construction and as seen in FIG. 7 includes a sprayed coil cooling assembly 32 in combination with an eliminator 32a shown in dotted lines. The unit 31 is also provided with the usual sump and pump for supplying water to the spray jets.

Returning to FIG. 1, duct means 34 provides an enclosed air passage between the air outlet of the conditioning unit 31 and the air inlet of the filter assembly 30.

Mounted directly on the channel member 19 is an enclosure or casing 35 housing a rotary heat exchange wheel 36 (best seen in FIG. 4) which is mounted for rotation about an axis 37. A motor 38 is disposed within the enclosure 35 operatively coupled in driving relation to the wheel 36. Generally, this is accomplished through a reducing gear arrangement and drive belt assembly.

As seen in FIG. 1, the enclosure 35 is mounted on the platform 13 between and spaced from the blowers 28 and 29 on the one hand and the conditioning unit 31, on the other hand. The wheel 36 with the enclosure 35 extends across both the supply air and exhaust air paths 11 and 12 with one-half of the wheel 36 in each path. As seen in FIG. 4, the enclosure 35 is provided with openings 39a, 39b, 40a and 40b in line with the upper and lower halves thereof which cooperate with similar openings on the side not seen to provide separate air paths through the wheel. Heat exchange wheel assemblies of the type shown in FIG. 4 are well known. These wheels operate on the principle of transferring heat and in some cases moisture between the supply air and the exhaust air streams from the air stream of higher temperature to the one of lower temperature. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention use was made of a rotary exhaust air energy exchanger marketed by The Wing Company Division of Aero-Flow Dynamics, Incorporated under the trademark ENTHALEX."

Referring to FIG. 1 again, ductwork in the form of a boxlike structure 41 (shown in detail in FIG. 3) is mounted on the platform 13 resting directly on the rails 14 and 15 between the enclosure 35 and the blowers 28 and 29. The ductwork 41 separately encloses the supply air and exhaust air paths, respectively, between the two blowers 28 and 29 and the corresponding separate air paths through the wheel 36. As seen in FIG. 3, the box-like structure 41 is provided with a dividing wall 42 on its interior separating the interior space into equal top and bottom halves. Circular openings 43 and 44 are provided in one wall of the structure 41 for registration with the corresponding blowers 28 and 29 which are connected thereto through flexible connections 45 and 46. The opposite side of the structure 41 is provided with a large opening 47 which registers with the openings 39a, 39b, 40a and 40b in the casing 35 housing the wheel 36.

Additional ductwork (shown in detail in FIG. in the form of a box-like structure 49 is mounted on the platform 13 between the enclosure 35 and the conditioning unit 31. As seen, the structure 49 is mounted directly on the rails 14 and of the platform between the channel members 18 and 19. As seen in FIG. 5, the structure 49 has a divider wall 50 separating the interior into two equal top and bottom halves. The opening 51 is provided in one wall of the structure 49 for registration with appropriate openings in the enclosure 35 which houses the wheel 36. The other side of the structure 49 has an opening confined to the lower half for registration with the conditioning unit 31 and an opening confined to the upper half for registration with a roughing filter 52, shown in detail in FIG. 6. The roughing filter 52, as seen in FIG. 1, is joined to and supported by the structure 49. The structure 49 separately encloses the supply air and exhaust air paths 11 and 12 between the corresponding separate air paths through the wheel 36 and, respectively, the conditioning unit 31 and roughing filter assembly 52. Suitable flexible connections 53 and 54 are provided for interconnecting, respectively, the roughing filter 52 and the high efiiciency filter 30 with the usual distribution ductwork, not shown.

It will be seen from a consideration of FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 that the box-like structures 41 and 49 have substantially identical external dimensions and may be quite similar in construction. They are also provided with access doors 55, 56, 57 and 58 on one side, and a similar set on the other side (not shown), providing entry to the space both above and below the respective divider walls 42 and 50. Such access is required in the assembly of FIG. 1 in order to periodically clean the operative surfaces of the heat exchange wheel 36. In addition, both the high efficiency filter 30 and the roughing filter 52 are provided with associated access doors such as doors 59 and 60, respectively, to enable the filters to be changed.

For the purpose of affording control of the air treating system appropriate sensing devices are incorporated in the structure. As seen in FIG. 1, an air flow switch 61 is located on the wall of the ductwork 41 arranged to monitor the flow of air through the exhaust blower 29. A similar air flow switch 62 is located on the wall of the ductwork 41 for monitoring the supply air stream as it leaves the blower 28. Also mounted on the ductwork 41 with a sensor in the exhaust air path is an ionization type smoke detector 63. Differential pressure switches are shown at 64 and 65. The switch 64 is connected to sensors located upstream and downstream of the roughing filter 52. The switch 65 is connected to sensors both upstream and downstream of the high efficiency filter 30. Although not shown, a number of other condition sensors are located within the unit. For example, a thermostatic sensor is located at the outlet of the filter 30. Also located at this point is a fire detector. For connection to a differential thermostat there are located thennostatic sensors, one in the intake to the supply blower 28 and the other in the upper portion of the ductwork 49 within the exhaust air path 12. A humidistatic sensor is also located in the upper half of the ductwork 49. For control of the wheel 36 there is provided a thennostatic sensor in the lower half of the ductwork 49 within the supply air path 11. Also in the same location is a second thermostatic sensor which may be used in conjunction with a thermostat to control an auxiliary air heater which may be located in the ductwork (not shown) feeding fresh air to the intake to the supply blower 28. Also not shown is a pressure sensitive switch for monitoring the water pressure developed by the pump associated with the conditioning unit 31. All of the foregoing control or monitoring devices are interconnected in known manner with appropriate control equipment housed in a control panel 66.

In operation of the air treating unit, outside air may enter the system through a weatherproof louver and low efficiency filter (not shown) which removes most of the larger suspended airborne pollutants. The air then progresses through the blower 28 and then through the lower half of the rotary heat exchanger wheel 36 into the water spray chamber of the conditioning unit 31. The air then passes through the cooling coil 32 and the excess moisture (droplets in excess of the air dewpoint) are removed by the eliminator on the downstream side of the cooling coil 32. The saturated air now passes through the high efficiency filter 30 into the distribution system. It is to be understood that the air will then be distributed to the various rooms or other locations where it is heated under remote thermostatic control.

On the return side, the exhaust air enters the unit and passes through the low efficiency filter 52 for removal of suspended solids before the air enters the exhaust portion of the rotary heat exchanger wheel 36. After passing through the heat exchanger wheel 36 the exhaust air is accelerated by the blower 29 and discharged into the usual exhaust duct (not shown) from which it passes to the outside of the building through a suitable weatherproof exhaust shutter mechanism (also not shown).

The rotary heat exchange wheel 36 provides for conservation of energy. Basically the wheel 36 provides a negative thermal flow when the system is used for cooling and a positive thermal flow when the system is used for heating. Preferably, the operative surfaces of the wheel 36 are coated with a chemical desiccant to provide for total enthalpy exchange. The rate of exchange can be regulated by controlling the speed of the wheel 36.

In order to assure proper control capability in the various remote conditioned air spaces by a simple thermostat controlled re-heat coil, it is necessary to provide totally saturated air to the remote portions of the system at a dry bulb temperature below that of the dry bulb temperature requirement of the conditioned space. Since under certain conditions the quality of the supply air after passing through the rotary heat exchanger may not have a water vapor content high enough to produce the required saturation after it has passed through the cooling coils 32, the supply air is subjected to the water spray which is capable of adding sufficient water vapor to the air before it passes through the coil assembly 32 to assure that the air leaving the coil assembly is water vapor saturated.

While not shown, it is to be understood that suitable gauges and electrical or pneumatic control equipment are provided for responding to and indicating the operation of the various sensors located throughout the unit.

Under certain conditions, it may not be necessary to add moisture to the supply air nor to accomplish cooling thereof. In such case, the cooling unit 31 and filter 30 may be eliminated as shown in FIG. 9. The structural platform 13 can, therefore, be foreshortened. A flexible coupling unit 67 may now be joined directly to the lower half of the ductwork 49. It is to be understood that the construction of the unit to the right of the ductwork 49 while not shown in FIG. 9 will be the same as the structure in FIG. 1.

Although the supply air path is on the bottom and the return air path is on the top in the embodiment described herein, it is to be understood that the paths may be interchanged through suitable transposition of the separate components. In addition, other types of air moving devices may be substituted for the centrifugal fans if desired.

Having described the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in construction may be effected without departing from the true spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Unitized air treatment apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending metal frame platform comprising a pair of spaced apart, parallel rails extending in the length direction of the platform and interconnected by members extending therebetween, blower support means on said platform, a pair of separate air blower units mounted in laterally adjacent, parallel relation to each other on said support means, one of said blower units being an air supply blower unit having its intake end facing towards one end of said platform and its discharge end facing towards the opposite end of said platform, and the other of said blower units being an air exhaust blower unit having its intake end facing towards said opposite end of said platform and its discharge end adjacent to said intake end of said air supply blower unit, said air supply blower unit and said air exhaust blower unit having separate housings respectively defining first and second parallel air flow paths extending in the direction of the length of said platform, first and second ductwork structures mounted on said platform, said first ductwork structure being adjacent to said blower units and said second ductwork structure being spaced from the first in the direction of said opposite end of said platform, each of said ductwork structures having a peripheral housing and an inner dividing wall extending thereacross and between and parallel to said air flow paths, said inner dividing walls of said first and second ductwork structures being aligned with each other, whereby the respectively aligned areas on opposite sides of said inner dividing walls provide respective straight line continuations of said first and second air flow paths through said first and second ductwork structures,

means connecting said respective housings of said air supply blower unit and said air exhaust blower unit to that end of said first ductwork structure which is adjacent thereto and respectively on opposite sides of said inner dividing wall of the latter, a heat exchange wheel mounted for rotation within a peripheral housing which is mounted on said platform between said first and second ductwork structures, the axis of rotation of said wheel extending parallel to and between said parallel air flow paths through said first and second ductwork structures and the diameter of said wheel being such that said wheel extends across both of said paths, the wheel housing interconnecting said housings of said first and second ductwork structures, and said inner dividing walls of said first and second ductwork structures providing said straight line continuations of said first and second air flow paths substantially to the respectively opposite faces of said wheel, an air supply filter unit having a peripheral housing, and means connecting said air supply filter housing in flow communication with that end of said second ductwork structure which faces towards said opposite end of said platform and forming a straight line continuation of only said first air flow path.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said air supply filter housing in flow communication with said end of said second ductwork structure comprises a conditioning unit having a peripheral housing connected, at opposite ends thereof, respectively to said second ductwork structure and said air supply filter unit housing and forming a straight line extension of only said first air path through said conditioning unit, said conditioning unit further having a sprayed coil cooling assembly in combination with an eliminator within its said housing.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second ductwork structures are separate box-like units of substantially identical dimensions and construction, each having access doors in at least one side thereof.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises an air filter unit having a peripheral housing connected in flow communication with that end of said second ductwork structure which faces towards said opposite end of said platform and forming a straight line continuation of only said second air flow path.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blower support means comprises a bridge-like structure upstanding from said rails, one of said blower units being supported on said platform beneath said bridgelike structure, and the other of said blower units being supported on said bridge-like structure.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said blower support means further comprises spring shock mounting means supporting said blower units on said platform and on said bridge-like structure, respectively. 

1. Unitized air treatment apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending metal frame platform comprising a pair of spaced apart, parallel rails extending in the length direction of the platform and interconnected by members extending therebetween, blower support means on said platform, a pair of separate air blower units mounted in laterally adjacent, parallel relation to each other on said support means, one of said blower units being an air supply blower unit having its intake end facing towards one end of said platform and its discharge end facing towards the opposite end of said platform, and the other of said blower units being an air exhaust blower unit having its intake end facing towards said opposite end of said platform and its discharge end adjacent to said intake end of said air supply blower unit, said air supply blower unit and said air exhaust blower unit having separate housings respectively defining first and second parallel air flow paths extending in the direction of the length of said platform, first and second ductwork structures mounted on said platform, said first ductwork structure being adjacent to said blower units and said second ductwork structure being spaced from the first in the direction of said opposite end of said platform, each of said ductwork structures having a peripheral housing and an inner dividing wall extending thereacross and between and parallel to said air flow paths, said inner dividing walls of said first and second ductwork structures being aligned with each other, whereby the respectively aligned areas on opposite sides of said inner dividing walls provide respective straight line continuations of said first and second air flow paths through said first and second ductwork structures, means connecting said respective housings of said air supply blower unit and said air exhaust blower unit to that end of said first ductwork structure which is adjacent thereto and respectively on opposite sides of said inner dividing wall of the latter, a heat exchange wheel mounted for rotation within a peripheral housing which is mounted on said platform between said first and second ductwork structures, the axis of rotation of said wheel extending parallel to and between said parallel air flow paths through said first and second ductwork structures and the diameter of said wheel being such that said wheel extends across both of said paths, the wheel housing interconnecting said housings of said first and second ductwork structures, and said inner dividing walls of said first and second ductwork structures providing said straight line continuations of said first and second air flow paths substantially to the respectively opposite faces of said wheel, an air supply filter unit having a peripheral housing, and means connecting said air supply filter housing in flow communication with that end of said second ductwork structure which faces towards said opposite end of said platform and forming a straight line continuation of only said first air flow path.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said air supply filter housing in flow communication with said end of said second ductwork structure comprises a conditioning unit having a peripheral housing connected, at opposite ends thereof, respectively to said second ductwork structure and said air supply filter unit housing and forming a straight line extension of only said first air path through said conditioning unit, said conditioning unit further having a sprayed coil cooling assembly in combination with an eliminator within its said housing.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second ductwork structures are separate box-like units of substantially identical dimensions and construction, each having access doors in at least one side thereof.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises an air filter unit having a peripheral housing connected in flow communication with that end of said second ductwork structure which faces towards said opposite end of said platform and forming a straight line continuation of only said second air flow path.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blower support means comprises a bridge-like structure upstanding from said rails, one of said blower units being supportEd on said platform beneath said bridge-like structure, and the other of said blower units being supported on said bridge-like structure.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said blower support means further comprises spring shock mounting means supporting said blower units on said platform and on said bridge-like structure, respectively. 